Can You Trust the Gospels?

For Catholics, the four Gospels are more than ancient books - they are sacred Scripture, the Word of God. But how do we respond when people claim the Gospels are just myths, legends, or made-up stories? The good news is: when we look at the historical evidence, the Gospels stand up to scrutiny. These are not fairy tales. They are reliable, eyewitness-rooted accounts, and here's why.

1. The Gospels Were Written Early - Too Early to Be Legends

One of the myths you’ll often hear is that the Gospels were written centuries after Jesus, long enough for facts to be distorted and legends to grow. But that’s not true. Scholars, both secular and Christian, agree that the Gospels were written within the first century, many within just 30 to 60 years of Jesus’ death:

Mark: Likely written around 60–70 AD
Matthew and Luke: Around 70–85 AD
John: Around 90 AD

This means the Gospels were written within living memory of Jesus. Many of the people who saw and heard Him were still alive when these accounts were circulating (see Luke 1:1–4). If the writers were making things up, people could - and would - have publicly contradicted them. As Catholic apologist Brant Pitre writes: “We are not dealing with anonymous legends written down hundreds of years later. We are dealing with Greco-Roman biographies written by followers of Jesus or their close companions” (The Case for Jesus, 2016).

2. The Authors Were Either Eyewitnesses or Knew Eyewitnesses

The traditional authorship of the Gospels aligns with people who were there or had direct access to those who were:

Matthew was one of the Twelve Apostles.
John was “the disciple whom Jesus loved” and part of Jesus’ inner circle.
Mark was a companion of Peter, and his Gospel reflects Peter’s preaching.
Luke was a companion of Paul and carefully investigated everything from “eyewitnesses” (Luke 1:2).

This isn’t like a game of telephone. This is direct testimony, preserved and passed on by people who had nothing to gain-and everything to lose-by lying.

3. The Gospels Include Embarrassing Details Which Makes Them More Credible
One of the most surprising features of the Gospels is how honest they are, even about the failings of the apostles:

Peter denies Jesus three times.
The disciples argue about who is the greatest.
Women are the first to discover the empty tomb (in a culture where women’s testimony was not highly valued).

If you were inventing a religion, you wouldn’t include these kinds of embarrassing details. This points to authenticity.

As Catholic philosopher Peter Kreeft puts it: “The apostles do not come off as heroes in these stories. Only honest reporting would produce such unflattering portraits.”

4. Archaeology and History Back Them Up

Critics used to claim the Gospels mentioned people and places that never existed. But archaeology keeps confirming the Gospels’ accuracy:

The Pool of Bethesda (John 5) was discovered in Jerusalem, just as described.
The ossuary of Caiaphas, the high priest at Jesus' trial, was found in 1990.
The name Pontius Pilate was found engraved on a stone in Caesarea in 1961 - confirming his historical role.

The Gospels don’t read like myths. They read like careful, historical biographies rooted in real geography, politics, and culture.

5. The Early Church Treated the Gospels as Sacred

The earliest Christians believed the Gospels were inspired Scripture. By the second century, Church Fathers like St. Irenaeus (d. 202 AD) affirmed the four Gospels we know today, linking them to their traditional authors. There were many writings floating around - but only Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were universally accepted as trustworthy. And guess what? That belief has stood the test of time—because the Gospels continue to transform hearts and lives with their message of truth and hope.

Rooted in History, Grounded in Faith

The Gospels are not late, anonymous myths. They are early, eyewitness-driven, and backed by archaeology, honesty, and unshakable tradition. As Catholics, we don’t need to be afraid of questions about Scripture—we should lean into them, confident that truth is on our side. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.” - Jesus (Matthew 24:35)

So next time someone asks you, “Can you really trust the Gospels?” you can answer: “Yes - historically, spiritually, and eternally.”